Sanguinary OutTakes
by sebastian w. melmoth
Summary: Ever wonder what they skipped in Kafka? That "vampire girl"? Here it is. A certain cross-dressing noble makes a move on Riff, armed with a very good excuse and a good set of teeth. Cain/Riff
1. Chapter 1

**I can't figure out why no one has done this before... Are there a million that I haven't seen? Is there a strange taboo against it? I LOVE this part of the story. It WORKS! C'mon people!**

**This takes place during the Kafka story, when Cain is staying at the country house with Riff and "Doctor Ancel Adams". Headily Cain/Riff and tons of fun to write! :3 Enjoy!**

**--**

_Knock, knock, knock._

Three crisp taps on Cain's bedroom door alerted him to his visitor's arrival. The door opened and his valet entered, looking bemused and holding a slip of paper.

"Milord? Why such odd hours?"

Cain was pacing, his robe fluttering around his ankles as he glared indistinctly at the walls of the country manor. "Dr. Ancel Adams. He's been watching me every second of every day here. How am I supposed to talk to you?" He sounded frustrated. "I trust you were not seen coming?"

"I was not, of course."

"Good. Ancel is a fool, and I don't trust him. We need to build up the evidence of conspiracy against ourselves, since he obviously knows more than he's telling about the vampires. I have an idea-"

"Lord Cain," Riff interjected softly, "You needn't worry. The man is utterly mistaken. I will never… I _could_ _never_ betray you."

The young noble's pacing paused as he turned to face his one and only adviser. The haunting fear that Riff had seen in the depths of his eyes surfaced as the head butler stepped closer, allowing Cain to bury his face in Riff's shirt and deeply inhale the scent of the man. So softly it could barely be heard, he whispered, "Never leave me."

"I cannot. You are my reason for existing." Gently, the young valet held his master as he tried to ease Cain's fears. "My life is yours to command, my lord."

Cain remained nestled against Riff for a second longer than Riff had expected, leaving the man slightly pink-cheeked when he finally removed himself from the reassuring embrace. Straightening and clearing his throat, Cain returned to the topic at hand.

"Then there is no cause for concern. We needn't suspect one another, and my plan won't work if we do. Now, Riff, what the Doctor wants to see is us turned against one another, correct?

"Yes, sir."

"Well then, he simplest option is to stage a scene between one of us and the vampire girl, suggesting that she is our confederate. No one, least of all the Doctor, will suspect that it was an orchestrated event, and he will continue to try to poison us against each other, depriving me of my most valued ally." Cain smiled that little, careless smile that seemed too wanton for a conversation between two men, but Riff merely nodded. "For all intents and purposes, we will be separated, and you will be dismissed from my service."

Riff gasped now, horrified by the very thought. "Milord Cain! I cannot! Please, I do not trust that man, and I won't leave you with him-"

"Touching as your concern is, I simply need you to check up on Doctor Ancel Adams in London. There have been no corroborations of his identity, and his act has slipped a few times. The severe vertigo seems to come and go. There's no way for us to divert his attention from you, except by seeming to remove you from the picture completely."

"I see. I fear for your safety, but the plan _is _sound. What sort of scene have you planned, milord? And how will we convince him of the girl's involvement?"

There was a moment of silence as Cain eyed Riff with a calculating stare. "Take off your shirt." He fetched a tape measure from a drawer, and as Riff hesitantly began unbuttoning his neat white shirt, he began to explain. "We need a scene of obvious alliance. The simplest would be a… seduction."

The head butler sounded slightly stiff as he acknowledged this point. "Of course." The first four buttons came undone.

"The problem comes in finding a suitable girl. We need someone who we know won't betray us, and none of the maids fit that description. You aren't going to like this, Riff…"

"Uh," the young man finished unbuttoning his starched shirt and considered who could possibly play the part, "You can't possibly suggest Mary Weather, sir?!"

"Of _course_ not!" Cain yelped, surprised. "I would never involve her. No, Riff. The girl will be you."

Silence.

"Riff? …Riff?!"

"M-milord, I-I'm afraid I… Milord, _no!_"

"Excuse me?" Cain asked, annoyed.

"I won't!"

"Oh, yes you will, Riff!"

"Sir," Riff grasped at reasons, of which there were thankfully many. "Sir, I am far too tall and broad-shouldered. The Doctor would never believe it. And besides, he has been focusing on framing me, Lord Cain. You know that he is most likely a confederate of the vampire girl, trying to get to you, and if he thinks you have been seduced, he will move on to killing you, or whatever he has in mind! You realized all this I'm sure, Cain, and I can only conclude that you realized the only way your plan could function and were unwilling to suggest it yourself."

Cain winced, but smiled good-naturedly at getting caught. "I should never attempt to trick you. Yes, I know…"

"You will have to be the girl."

"I will indeed. And I will have to seduce the most emotionless and steady man in all of England, so I'd best look stunning."

It was a moment before Riff realized that the "emotionless and steady man" was himself, but when he did, he looked nearly cataleptic. "Milord!! I don't think-!! This surely isn't…!! …Seduce?" He held up his hands as if to ward off an attack, but Cain was simply standing by the dresser, tape measure still in hand, robe sagging open at the neck casually and almost… suggestively. Riff gulped and realized that his own shirt was in a similar state from the earlier order to remove it. He hurriedly refastened it, terribly uncomfortable and not noticing when Cain smiled slightly as he buttoned the shirt askew. "I couldn't…"

The young noble eyed him slyly. "How else would a vampire gain control over my repressed manservant?" Something about the way he said the word "manservant" made Riff think suddenly of the hidden implications of innuendo involved in the term. It suddenly sounded less like a reasonable and respectable job for a poor man of the middle class and more like a job one might get in a harem. "Manservant" indeed!

As if to reinforce this impression, Cain stepped forward and slid the robe off his shoulders in a slow, fluid motion. It slithered to the floor in smooth folds around his slim ankles, and he stepped carefully out of it, towards Riff. He wasn't wearing a stitch underneath. Stepping a bit too close, the dark-haired man pressed the tape measure into his servant's hands. When he spoke, his voice was too soft to break the tension.

"Riff, I'm going to need a dress. Measure me."

It was unclear exactly when the process of the seducing the valet would begin for Cain. He held his arms to the side as his blonde head butler wrapped the tape around him and mumbled numbers to himself, fumbling more than usual and seeming oddly nervous for a man who dressed and undressed his master every day. To his credit, his master did not discuss seducing him every day.

When he bent to read the last number, Cain's voice startled him out of an efficient daze, just loud enough to be heard and breathy enough to tickle Riff's ear as he whispered, "Finished?"

Riff froze and nodded.

"Tuck me in."

Riff stood, a touch of pink lightening his cheeks, and lifted Cain into his arms carefully, carrying him across the room to the bed, where he deposited him gently and pulled up the covers. Before he could straighten and leave, Cain caught him by the shirtfront and pulled him down to say, "Well then, good night Riff, and sweet dreams…"

"Good-night, my lord." Riff smoothed his master's hair with unexpected tenderness and headed quickly for the door.

The maid Doctor Adams had paid to watch Cain's room watched in surprise as the door opened and Riff hurried out. She was about to run for the Doctor, but then she caught a better look at the valet as he passed under a lamp.

His hair was mussed and his face slightly flushed. His shirt was buttoned askew and rumpled, and his breathing was less than regular. The maid covered her mouth to hide a giggle. She would have expected as much from Master Cain. Poor Riff. She was quite sure the lord was responsible for his manservant's state and suspected that perhaps this wasn't the first order of uncertain nature that innocent Riff had obeyed, although she was positive that Master Cain would provide splendid assistance to his chores… Honestly. It was really only a matter of time before something scandalous happened, with the way her noble employer acted around his servant.

It wouldn't be right to tell Dr. Adams about that. After all, it was up to her to protect her master's secret scandal, but of course she would warn a few of her friends not to say anything if they saw something suspicious… That wasn't the sort of thing the doctor needed to know, anyway, and it was none of his business. Giggling, the gossipy maid scurried off to find her friends and inform them of what the repressed manservant and his master did behind closed doors.

**--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--**

**I finished this in a few more chapters. Review if you want them... Actually, I'll post them if you like it or not, but you'll make me feel good if you do. Please? No? NO?! ...Asshole.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Short, but it was a good place to cut it off. I like the maids. They make me laugh!**

**--**

"When you've finished that, get my coat, Riff, we're going shopping."

"Milord?" Riff blinked in surprise as he picked up the tea things. "Shopping for what, sir?"

"Oh…" Cain smirked over his shoulder unwholesomely. "I think you know."

The maid giggled wildly and blushed and Riff spared her a glance and a frown, as he briefly considered the odd behavior of the maids around himself and his lord lately, then dismissed it as irrelevant.

"Lord Cain, how do you expect to explain your- er…" Riff glanced nervously at the maid who was blushing again.

"Sorry, Mr. Raffit, sir. I'll just be going to let you two… talk." Smiling knowingly, she curtsied and left, shutting the door behind her. Cain, beginning to understand, covered a smile with one hand as Riff watched her go with a look of bewilderment.

"About that, sir, the maids have been acting rather strangely today--"

"Never mind them," Cain interrupted, smothering a laugh at his butler's naiveté.

"The whole scheme hinges on this main event, which requires a very convincing performance. Therefore, we simply have no choice. We will send a maid to buy one and have her alter it for me."  
"But, well, surely that would raise uncomfortable questions with her?"

"Oh, I don't think we should have any trouble with that. And I suspect that the maids have simply decided to side with us in keeping our activities secret from the doctor." A smirk crossed his face and was gone.

"Sir?" The innocent looked confused.

"Nothing. Trust me, Riff. It will work."

"Ooh!" the girl squealed, remembering her place enough to curtsy and ask. "You want what, milord?"

Cain lounged against the wall with an expression that bordered on mischievous. "A dress, Miss Maddy. Surely you could buy a nice one? I have the money, but I fear I know nothing about ladies' fashion."

Nervously eager to confirm her suspicions, she quickly added, "Is it for a lady friend, then?" waiting in breathless anticipation for a 'no'.

Cain's smile broadened, surpassing mischievous and moving into devilish. "It's a secret…" Leaning forward, he whispered, "It's for _me_," and leaned back, watching her squeal with a satisfied smirk.

"Oh, _Milord Cain!_" She shrieked. "How scandalous! May I tell Allie? I should need some help if I'm going to be getting the full petticoats, too."

Go ahead. But remember, we can't tell…"

"Of course not, sir! Allie!!"

The second girl scurried up at her name. What, Maddy? Oh! Lord Cain, sir!" She dropped into a curtsy upon seeing her master. Maddy grabbed her arm and whispered furiously in her ear, grinning hugely at having been officially entrusted with such a scandal. The second girl covered her mouth and shrieked.

Waving a careless hand, Cain added, "Oh, and I'll need a wig and makeup, and whatever else I'll need. I am relying on you girls for these things."

Maddy and Allie looked positively ready to faint with joy.

"Here." The nobleman passed the maids a slip of paper. "My measurements for the dress?" His eyes sparkled. "Riff took them for me."

Allie fainted. Maddy caught her deftly and unconcernedly and she miraculously recovered in time to hear Cain's next, intimately whispered comment before fainting for real.

"And… Riffiel likes black lace." Almost giggling himself with mischievous satisfaction, Cain slipped out of the servants' wing to visit Justine and Dirk.

**--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--**

**Enjoy? Oh, and to _my_ Riff, I know you'll like to picture that dress, love. XD **


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope you guys liked it... In spite of my LACK OF REVIEWS, LEADING TO A FAILURE IN NEURON MORALE hint, hint I'm posting these next two chapters. Love me or hate me (if you got to this chapter, you either love me or are indescribably bored and ambivalent), please enjoy this. **

**((i had fun writing this, Riff. Brings back memories, neh? XD -- evil bitch)**

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When Riff arrived at the prearranged meeting place at the scheduled time, he instantly began nervous pacing, waiting almost half an hour before the appearance of two maids startled him suddenly out of deep, worried thoughts.

"Mr. Riff!" Riff wondered when they had gone from calling him 'Mr. Raffit, sir,' to 'Mr. Riff.'

"Oh Mister Riiiiiff!" Isn't she lovely? Black lace, just like you like!!" Teasing and giggling, they lead another girl, this one clad in a fabulous green dress accented with black lace that brought out her stunning golden-green eyes. She smiled coyly up at Riff, long black hair spilling down her back from beneath a black lace veil.

"L-lord Cain?" Riff's voice cracked.

Laying a flirtatious hand on his arm, his cross-dressing lord purred back, "Yes, Riff?" He tugged the tall butler down by his tie, whispering quietly, "The act starts now. The maids think I'm dressed up like this to satisfy your extravagant fetish," adding more loudly, "Don't you like it?" and pouting sultrily up at a speechless Riff.

"My Lo- my Lord, Cain, you look wonderful."

Wrapping the tie around his hand teasingly, the young noble gazed up through his eyelashes at the tall blonde before him. "Don't call me that _now_, Riff. Save the titles for the public… and the games…"

Blushing furiously at the insinuation, Riff responded softly, "Let me try again. I meant my Lord in Heaven. But I am willing to abandon God… for the pleasures of the Devil." Sliding his arms around Cain's waist, he bent to slide his cool lips along the younger boy's neck.

A shudder passed through Cain's entire body and he clutched at Riff as his knees threatened to fold. "Riiiff…" he moaned softly.

The maids, who had hidden behind a tree to watch what happened, slunk off, simultaneously embarrassed at having witnessed such intimacy and proud of their handiwork and its effect on the emotionless head butler.

Lifting his head, Riff sighed and dropped his arms. "I am sorry, milord, but the girls had remained and I could think of no other way to convince them to leave…" He trailed off when he saw the look on his master's face. His eyes were clouded and half lidded and he was looking up at Riff in a way that gave the valet chills. "Lord Cain?"

Silently, Cain lifted his face toward the other man's and Riff hesitated, then slowly lowered his own, knowing what his beloved master wanted. Their lips brushed together, and the servant felt himself reacting in ways he knew he shouldn't be. The warm, slick tip of Cain's tongue ran along his lower lip and Riff's mouth opened in a shuddering gasp.

A scream rang out from somewhere outside the forest and the two jerked apart. Awkward silence weighted the air between them for a second, then Cain spoke, quickly but breathlessly.

"It looks like they've found the latest body. We have approximately ten minutes before the doctor arrives. Here." He lead the way to a clearing, tripping every few steps in his unusual getup. Sitting carefully, he arranged the skirts around himself and, as Riff kneeled next to him, his mouth twisted into an odd little smile and he commented, "You must really like this dress."

"No!" Riff yelped in his own defense, "It's not the dress, it's--" He stopped abruptly, face burning.

Cain stared at him like a predator sensing weakness in its prey. "It's what?"

"Nothing… nothing. Should we discuss what this scene we have planned will involve, sir?"

The lord stared at him for a second more, then moved on. "Yes. Of course. I, as the vampire girl, need to decide how to concisely show my control over you and seduction of you in a minute or two. Hmm." He eyed Riff like a slab of beef and the poor valet was beginning to seriously worry when his master finally spoke. "I think I should bite you."

"What!?"

"I _am_a vampire, am I not? That would probably serve the purpose best. Let's see.." With delicate fingers, Cain unknotted Riff's tie and draped it around his neck, then, unbuttoning the first buttons of his shirt, he opened it to admire the man's smooth, muscular chest.

"Cain?" Riff asked nervously, and the noble noticed that this time the older boy had failed to include a title before his name.

"Relax, Riff. If you're tense and uncomfortable, this won't look real." So saying, he ran his hands over the exposed chest and up Riff's neck. Cain posed, bent over Riff's pale skin, teeth bared as if about to bite.

"Cain, don't!" The valet held up a hand to stop the boy, who glanced over at him arrogantly and sank his teeth into Riff's neck.

For an electrifying second, Riff went rigid, then his hand dropped to the back of Cain's head, carelessly mussing his wig as he pressed Cain's mouth down against the bite, where the young noble bit down even harder in response. The lord could hear Riff's panting in his ear. "Ugn! Cain… yes!"

Cain bit down until he drew blood, and his victim moaned in rapture. Pulling back to lick the blood from the wound, he looked up at his servant and gave a wryly amused smile. "Masochist."

Riff was still panting for air, his chest heaving as he tried to recover from the pleasurable pain. He seemed embarrassed about something, and it didn't take Cain long to discover what.

To allow room for Cain's skirts in their close quarters, Riff was crouched on one knee, with one leg on either side of his vampire. Glancing down his body, Cain noticed the source of his embarrassed discomfort and laughed. The older man blushed and Cain smilingly ran one hand up the inside of his thigh. With a groan, Riff bucked into the touch and clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms to restrain his instincts.

"Please…!" Riff was gasping and flushed and, to Cain, perfectly lovely.

Cain tossed back his head and laughed wantonly, drunk on power and lust. Licking his lips, he kissed Riff hungrily, to the other man's surprise.

"_Mmmm, Caaaiin!_ What… what are- _Mmm…!_ you doing!?"

Cain's breathless, husky voice was laden with sarcasm. "What does it look like?" He kissed Riff again and pressed their bodies together, disregarding his skirts and petticoats. Riff's eloquent response was to pull him closer and kiss back passionately.

Suddenly the crunching progress of their target walking through the forest towards them forced them apart, and Cain adjusted his skirts and smoothed his hair, catching his breath. Riff tried to slow his racing heartbeat. The snap of a twig nearby signaled the start to their drama and both instantly affected composure.

The vampire girl/Cain, unsure whether or not they were within Doctor Adams' hearing, asked in a soft, feminine voice, "Swear to me, Riffiel Raffit…"

"Anything." He murmured in reply, catching on.

"You will serve me for eternity, my love." Riff tried not to look surprised at hearing the name from Cain's lips, acting though he was.

"Anything for you, anything! Do it."

Cain leaned forward as if to bite Riff again and felt him tense in expectation. Peeling back his collar to reveal the previous bite to their audience, Cain wanted very badly to sink his teeth into Riff again, but knew that he couldn't in front of the doctor. Instead, he glanced up and made eye contact with Ansel Adams, faking surprise and glaring at him with every ounce of the demonic fury he felt at the man's true interruption.

He fled, and as the sound of his crashing progress faded, Cain turned back to Riff, bending over his neck again. This time, Riff succeeded in fending him off and begged, "Please, Cain. We should head back so that you are at the manor when the Doctor arrives."

Cain hesitated, annoyed, but a sudden sparkle flashed across his eyes. "Of course, Riff. When we get back, you'll have to hurry and undress me. I can't see him like this, of course."

"No…" Riff almost smiled. "We can't have that, so I'll simply have to rip these clothes off of you, milord," he explained seriously. Cain gave him a sharp look, but it was impossible to read his expression.

Standing, the manservant extended a hand to Cain, helping him to his feet in the awkward dress. He swung the young man into his arms as if he weighed nothing and carried him home. As they left the confines of the forest, Riff spoke up quietly and shyly.

"Lord Cain?"

"Yes?"

"I was just thinking about the inquisitive maids, sir, the ones that bought you the dress? And the things they were saying."

"And?"

"Well, I was just wondering milord, but, how did you know I liked black lace?"

The sound of Cain's surprised laughter followed them all the way back to the country manor.

--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--

**Enjoy, review, love the humor. The drooly bits were fun to write.**


	4. Chapter 4

Cain was standing expectantly in his room, waiting for Riff to remove the cumbersome and restricting dress. The servant, however, was hesitating. Annoyed, Cain grumbled, "Hurry up, will you? I don't know how girls stand it. I'll be terribly glad to be back in proper _men's_ clothes. …although perhaps that's why you're so hesitant? If I were a woman, it's apparent that you would find me quite attractive."

"No." The valet answered calmly but firmly. "No sir. If you were any different than you are now, I could not possibly love you as much as I do."

Cain's head snapped around so fast, he got whiplash. Rubbing his neck, he asked quickly, "Riff? What did you say?"

"I said--" His voice cracked. "I said that I love you, my lord."

Cain stared up into his face, innocent for once and guileless, almost childlike. "You do? Really?" He knotted his fists into Riff's shirt and pleaded, "Tell me you mean that. Tell me that…" he faltered but tried again, barely above a whisper, "Tell me that I'm not crazy, not dirty or wrong… Tell me that I can long for your hands. Tell me that it's alright to feel for a man the way I feel for you."

Riff gently cupped Cain's face in his hands. "My lord, I don't know anymore. But if it isn't right, surely it's better to be wrong together than right alone? I know that every time I undress you, milord, I want you as I've never wanted anyone before. And, more than once, you would look at me in such a way that, that…" Riff shivered deliciously. "I have been tempted to throw you down and have my way with you, right then and there."

Cain pouted. "Well of course, idiot. That's why I was doing it. Why didn't you? I wanted you to."

Shocked by his blatant efforts, Riff blushed. "Milord!"

"Why don't you do it now? There's the bed."

Moaning at the very thought, Riff hesitantly tried to explain, "I can't."

"I know I'm a man, but--"

"No, sir, that's not it at all, sir! I, uh, don't know how to unlace a corset. I have absolutely no knowledge of women's clothing."

Cain rolled his eyes. "Riff! That's ridiculous. Alright, fine. Here, unbutton this then unknot that. There, yes, now loosen it all the way down. Thank God. Now, the skirts."

Riff hiked up the skirts of the dress and lifted the whole thing off over Cain's head with one arm, leaving the other under the crinoline to hold the petticoats up so he could see what he was doing. To his surprise, Cain had neglected to wear the proper undergarments or, indeed, any at all, and he found his hand laying across the back of his master's hip and his admirable little rear. Eyeing the hand for a moment, Cain glanced up at Riff and purred.

Shocked and more than a little aroused to hear such a response, Riff quickly pulled his hand away, fuchsia with embarrassment. "I-I-I'm sorry, i-it…" he stammered unsuccessfully.

"You didn't have to move it. I rather liked it actually." Cain was giving him a look so smoldering that it bordered on a sexual assault in itself.

"Lord Cain?! Surely you don't mean that!"

"Oh really? Try me." He paused, eyes narrowing, and he gave a little half-smile. "Yes, Riff, _try me_." On his tiptoes, Cain whispered breathily into Riff's ear, "Try me. Touch me, taste me, _take_ me…"

Reeling dizzily, Riff reached for his master, self-control lost entirely to lust. "Yes…"

--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--

**Ooh... Watch it Cain, this could get messy! Sorry... Sexual tension is fun to write.**

**Much love for all of my readers, though one in particular sticks out, as usual...**

**I know you all will forgive me here for using this space as a quick little message board!**

**Riff, if you haven't given up on me entirely, I suggest AWA attendance. As is, every other internet venue of communication is far too closely watched, so I turn to this, as awkward and idiotic as it may seem. I pray to God that you read it, darling (although He doesn't seem to have any excessive fondness for me).**


	5. Chapter 5

**THE FINAL CHAPTER!!**

**This was so drawn out, and I appologize. I should have had the whole thing out in a couple of weeks, since I finished it before posting chapter one! But, if you're stil breathing and still interested, here goes!**

--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--

It had been almost fifteen minutes since the master and servant had arrived at the manor. Now, as the maid looked out across the lawn, she saw the tiny figure of Doctor Adams approaching and hurried to the young lord's bedroom door, knocking nervously.

There was no reply. Muttering to herself, Maddy commented, "If Lord Cain doesn't hurry, he won't be ready, and the Doctor will know something's up! Lord Cain!!" she called. No response came back through the heavy door, and she anxiously opened it a crack and stuck her head through the gap.

No wonder they hadn't replied.

Cain and Riff sprawled across the bed, entwined. The younger lord lay on top of his servant, stripped totally nude and grinning wickedly. Riff, whose shirt was thrown open to reveal his smooth chest, was panting and growling under Cain like an animal in heat as the dark-haired boy slipped his hand down the front of his valet's trousers.

The maid shrieked and slammed the door shut on her own fingers, earning an even louder shriek as she flung it open again.

The two on the bed certainly heard that.

As did the Londoners miles away, and likely a few Chinese rice farmers.

Cain sat up in surprise and horror, turning swiftly to face the shocked maid. Jerking away from his master fearfully, Riff crouched on the far side of the bed, almost hiding and miserably ashamed, refusing to look at his master or the maid. Pulling the sheets up around himself, Cain scowled with fury and snarled at the maid. "Out _now! _Never speak a word of this to anyone! Now _go!_"

She bolted and slammed the door behind her. Turning to the half-clothed butler, Cain sighed. "The whole county will have heard that." He reached out to touch Riff's shoulder, and the man flinched away. Biting his lip, Cain tried to hide how much the little movement hurt him. "Damn it! Damn her!" He sounded almost childish and close to tears. "Riff… Riff, I'm sorry. I should never have--"

Wordlessly, the older man leaned forward and gently covered Cain's mouth with one hand, enfolding his beloved lord in his arms and cradling him, as he had when Cain was a boy. "_I'm _sorry, milord," he murmured, "But I cannot regret it."

Cain collapsed against him, cuddling into the warm embrace.

"Lord Cain...?" Riff asked softly, after a moment of intimate silence.

"Yes?"

"We'd better get you dressed, Lord Cain. No doubt Dr. Adams is coming any minute now."

Cain sat up in surprise, having totally forgotten the suspicious doctor and all of his scheming. "My God!" He scrambled to his feet, adding quickly, "Hurry! God knows how long it's been. He could be here now!"

Riff stood as well, quickly buttoning his shirt and snatching Cain's regular clothes from a drawer. He shook the folds out of a pair of slacks, then paused and stepped closer to the boy, slipping an arm around his bare waist and kissing him gently. Riff released his employer a second later, and the surprised noble stumbled backwards and sat down hard on the edge of his bed. "Riff..." He looked up at his servant, blushing at the tenderness apparent in the kiss.

They stared at one another wordlessly for a moment, then Riff smiled and gave the slacks a final, firm shake before beginning to pull them on his master. "Perhaps..." he began, softly but surely, "Perhaps when we return to London, milord, we may see what becomes of what we started here."

Cain nodded, smiling a bit but looking directly at the ground.

"After all, Cain," the noble looked up in surprise at Riff's break of propriety, "It's a terrible waste to buy such a nice dress and only wear it once."

--g--o--d--c--h--i--l--d--

**I have a thing for ending stories with one liners like that!! They make me happy inside. **

**Now that we're done here, I'd like some kind of response from any readers I may have, if you're at all willing... REVIEW, DAMNIT! IT HELPS MY EGO!**

**((The mysterious message board sez... Hurry up and get back home to your internet connection! Every night that I get no reply I worry about you... and worry that you don't want to talk... that I'm not worth this anymore. Whether or not it's true, tell me! Say _something_! ...I miss you.))**

**Pretend you people didn't see that... See what? It's all in your mind!!**


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